Alice is Dead
by caffeineandnicotine
Summary: She hasn't really gone bonkers, has she? SxS


**ALICE IS DEAD  
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»»««

"It's cold. Can you remove these for a while, please? I just need to rub my hands together..."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Here's your medicine."

"Thank you. I really am cold, you know. Can you at least wrap a blanket around me?"

The young nurse was hesitant at first. Physical contact with patients was extremely dangerous unless you were with two other able bodied nurses. It was cold, though, and she felt sorry for the poor thing.  
>The girl looked so pale and helpless. Auburn hair scattered on her face, emerald eyes wide as if pleading.<p>

"Sure."

That answer took a while but the girl was eternally grateful.

The nurse slowly wrapped the blanket around the girl's pale body. Long bangs cascaded on her heart shaped face.

"This really hurts me. Can you take this off even for just a minute?"

_Still not content, huh?_Thought the nurse.

She looked at how the straightjacket painfully hugged the girl's frame. Why such a seemingly innocent being occupied this hollow room, she didn't want to know, but did so anyway.

"Please..." The girl croaked, moving her body the best she could so she was looking up the nurse's face.

The movement startled the nurse, and she abruptly took a step back.

"PLEASE!" The girl was standing now.

In one swift motion, the nurse reached for the door.

"Go back to your bed, Miss Kinomoto - I'm warning you!"

Ignoring the threat, the girl stepped even closer, a grimace on her face."Why? You scared of me? That's what the new ones always feel."

"What? No I'm not," panic was written all over the nurse's face as she turned the knob, "I'll go get the doctor-"

Tears naturally trickled down the girl's cheeks, a small pool forming under her feet."They feel that way 'cause there's something wrong with me..."

_I can't do this._For one last time, the nurse looked back with guilt before stepping out of the room.

"I'm not crazy, am I?"

The silence was deafening.

**A**

**L**

**I**

**C**

**E**

**I**

**S**

**D**

**E**

**A**

**D**

2 years back.

Flakes of snow fell on top of an auburn hair. The girl who owned that hair tilted her chin up and stuck out her tongue. She caught one snowflake and brought it inside her mouth.

"Merry Christmas, Sakura." She told herself.

It was Christmas Eve so the emerald eyed teen decided to go shopping downtown before coming home to the sweet smelling food her mother would be preparing.

A soft smile tugged her lips at the thought of it. Her hold on her shopping bags tightened as she entered the house-

Blood.

Blood everywhere.

Her heart clenched, her lungs suddenly shrinking. She couldn't breathe and a wave like sensation passed through her ears, deafening her – as if a soft steady beep filtered her head.

She could not hear nor feel anything except the painful beating of her frightened heart.

Her father, Fujitaka, laid sprawled across the floor, eyes wide, blood trickling down his cheek.

Touya, her brother, fell limp near the open wall extending to the kitchen. His face couldn't be seen.

Slowly, she walked a few steps toward her brother. She turned him with shaky hands.

"!"

"Mother"

"Shhh. Don't speak. I'll call an ambulance-"

A hand to her own stopped her.

"No need," he whispered as blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

With his own, he trailed her hand down to his waist-

She winced, tears threatening to spill.

"Where's mother?"

"Taken"

"By who?" She was now crying.

At that moment, she could feel Touya's breathing speed up, like a countdown.

She looked at him desperately as he shook his head. He didn't have a clue.

"Live," he croaked while his breathing slowed, really slowed hard.

"I promise I will avenge you all, Touya! I love you!"

At that, his breath hitched and then it was gone.

"Touya...why..." She sobbed, knowing his chest was no longer heaving.

She stood up heavily, her long auburn bangs in disarray. She looked at the place she once called her home, still disbelieving.

Suddenly, the smell of burnt pasta sauce wafted from another part of the house. She hurriedly went to the kitchen and saw the sauce boiling on the cooking pot.

Realization hit her. The killings happened not long before she came in.

She was right. Her mother had been cooking.

_Taken_.

Who was psychotic enough to do this? Everything seemed so surreal, though, as if she was awake in a nightmare.

And then it dawned on her.

For the first time, she was alone on Christmas Eve.

She felt her heart clench and she choked back the pain.

"What the hell just happened..."

»»««

A chestnut haired boy paced back and forth outside the wide oak double doors which led to his father's office.

_Who is that woman?_

Two tall men in black suits approached his direction. He stopped pacing and glared at them.

"Care to explain what's going on?" He spat.

"We apologize, Master Xiao Lang, but we've been given strict orders not to let you in."

"Bullshit," he hissed, his fist punching the door, "Who was that woman anyway?"

The men were silent but their silence was replaced by loud footsteps stomping toward them.

Recognizing who it was, the boy immediately acknowledged him.

"Father."

The man, Hua Lun, just eyed him suspiciously before turning to the other two men. "Why is he here?"

"And what is so wrong with that, father? Don't tell me the reason why we came here to Tokyo is that..." He trailed off, afraid to finish the sentence.

Hua Lun eyed him over his shoulder and sighed. "We have a guest, Xiao Lang. But I'm afraid you can't meet her yet."

"Guest?" asked Xiao Lang incredulously. "She was practically dragged in here! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"She was being stubborn," answered Hua Lun exasperately. "Please leave. I have to attend to her now."

Xiao Lang stared at his father with piercing amber eyes before taking a deep breath.

"I'll never understand you, father."

Shaking his head, he turned on his heels and walked away.

»»««

_Sakura._

_Monster._

_Sweetie._

_Darling._

Voices rang in her head. Those words used to identify her. And despite being called a monster,  
>knowing only Touya did, it soothed her.<p>

"You okay?" Asked a police officer, handing her a glass of water.

She gave him a blank stare before taking the glass. She tugged on the warm blanket that was wrapped around her small frame.

She could hear the faint voices of the police downstairs. They, too, were wondering who could've done such atrocity.

_Live_ was Touya's last word to her.

Her mind disagreed, through. That shouldn't have been his last word to her.

_Vengeance_.

Yes, that's right. That should be it.

A presence outside her doorway interrupted her thoughts. She shut her eyes immediately.

_No...no more talking..._

"Miss Kinomoto?" It was a female officer. "We need you downstairs. The NBI might know a lead as to who killed you family."

"What about my mother?" Sakura spoke softly, tired.

"They might know."

She was exhausted, but a small ounce of hope filled her being, giving her strength.

They talked to her, told her the killer's possible identity.

There was a struggle, true - which explained the bloodied living room. It seemed that it was a group of armed people, but only two guns were used.

One to her father's head, and the other to Touya's stomach.

She felt like puking at the thought.

And then to the killer's identity.

_Li_.

The Li Clan.

The NBI told her they would do everything in their power to help her.

_Liars._

The mere quiver of their voices when they mentioned the name Li made her thought so.

When they left she was again alone in the murder scene. Although the bodies had been taken for further autopsy, there was still blood smeared over the carpet and walls and she was left to clean up the mess.

She hesitantly picked up a broken family portrait and began holding her tears, but it was not from the shard of glass that tore her skin lightly.

Sakura Kinomoto.

17 years old.

Orphaned.

_Alone._

»»««

It had already been two days.

Sakura was low with supplies but it did not matter. She ate little. She couldn't sleep. She refused to take a bath. She even entertained the thought of giving up and rotting to death.

But she did promise her brother she would avenge them, right?

First thing, she needed her energy back. She would then have to find a job to sustain herself.

Grabbing her purse, and without caring about the fact she looked like shit, she headed outside for the first time since the tragedy.

While walking, she debated upon buying a gun for two reasons: first is for protection and second is for planting a bullet on the killer's head.

She didn't have a clue as to how to get one, though, so she decided she would steal one when the opportunity arises.

So caught up in her thoughts, she didn't notice a black Audi speeding its way toward her. Again, she could only turn her head away and shut her eyes.

"Fuck! Watch it when you cross, idiot!"

For a split second there she thought it was the end. She just blinked at the chestnut haired boy looking at her furiously inside his car. He had rolled his window down as he kept shouting at her.

"Didn't you see the green light? Are you trying to kill yourself or something?"

"Look," she spoke for the first time in two days, "I'm sorry, alright? I've already been through a shitload of things for the past few days and I would really appreciate it if you just let it go. No one's hurt anyway."

The guy eyed her from root to tip before giving an exasperated sigh. "You're a mess."

She heard the car door unlock.

"Now get in before someone reports me."

She glared at him, their eyes locking on each other. "You're being an ass so no thanks!"

He groaned as he reached for the knob and opened the door.

"I'm serious! Now get in the car. People are staring," he muttered.

Too tired for an argument, Sakura groaned inwardly and hopped in.

"Who the hell do you think you are anyway?" she demanded.

"That goes for you as well," he countered.

After a few minutes of piercing silence, the boy began to break the ice. "Where do you want be dropped off to?"

"Just at the convenience store around the corner," was her bland reply.

She heard him sigh. "I'm trying to be nice to you and you're still pissed? I'm Syaoran, by the way. Syaoran Li."

_Li._

He could be any Li but then why did her heart clench?

»»««

Haro! I just want to get this over with so I haven't had time to check the errors and such. Constructive criticisms are welcomed with open arms!


End file.
